A leading tenants’ group has called Labour plans to crack down on rogue landlords ‘incredibly weak’ - claiming it could take at least a decade to enforce.

Ed Miliband, who is this week focusing on housing in the final fortnight before polling day, launched a raft of pledges aimed at improving privately-rented homes.

They include cutting tax breaks for the worst landlords and banning ‘unfair’ letting fees.

But the lobby group Generation Rent, which works with Manchester tenants facing appalling conditions, said the move was ‘short of the mark’.

Community organiser Pollyanna Steiner said there was no point going for the very worst landlords - because the problem is far wider.

Pointing to the last English House Survey, which found 30pc of 4.4m of rented homes were below basic standards, she said: “Rogue landlords are not a minority, niche problem. It’s almost a third of the properties we know about are being neglected.”

She said targeting rogue landlords was hard to do, adding: “It could take a decade at least to gather enough intelligence to start to enforce.”

Labour say it will fund the abolition of stamp duty for first time buyers by cutting tax relief - received for repairs and upkeep - for the very worst culprits.

But Pollyanna said: “If we were going to have this tax initiative to disincentivise bad behaviour then we have to have a blanket approach. Either clamp down on the tax side of it as general policy or not at all, because it’s not possible to police as it stands.

“Even with a national landlord’s register - which we are calling for - everything else they are calling for is incredibly weak, unfortunately. It’s incredibly short of the mark even though it’s in the right direction.”

She also said banning ‘unfair’ letting fees was too vague - because what constitutes fair is entirely subjective.

Generation Rent has been working with Manchester tenants since October and says many are facing rodent infestations and other major health risks.

Pollyanna said the entire sector could afford to lose its tax breaks, pointing out landlords pocket £9bn in housing benefit every year.

“It’s beyond ridiculous when we consider how much money we have to invest in new housing,” she added.